Safety catch-all rig



Sept. 27, 1.955 A. P. ALLEVA SAFETY CATCH-ALL RIG Filed Dec. '10 1951 INVENTOR. ADEL /0 P Au 51/4 United States Patent SAFETY CATCH-ALL RIG Adelio P. Alleva, Brooklyn, N. Y.

Application December 10, 1951, Serial No. 260,878

8 Claims. (Cl. 160-88) 2,718,921 Patented Sept. 27, 1955 A further object of the present invention is to provide a safety device for attachment to the outside of a window in which the falling glass, putty, tools or the like will be collected within the safety rig and thereafter withdrawn inside the room in which the mechanic is working.

A still further object of the present invention is to provide a safety device which is readily adjustable and may be employed in all windows, regardless of size.

Yet a further object is to provide a safety device of very simple design which is easily attached to the existing equipment on a window opening in a building regardless of the location of such equipment.

And, a still further object is to provide a safety device for attachment to a window which is of extremely rigid construction and which will not be affected by high winds or other elements when installed.

Other and additional objects and advantages will be manifested from the following description when taken pane, it is necessary to chisel the rusted screws, which hold the strips of metal which, in turn, hold the pane in the window-frame. Such operation usually results in fracturing the glass. Obviously if this operation occurred while the frame was still in the window, there would be a strong possibility of injury from falling putty, broken glass or tools to pedestrians on the street below, etc. To eliminate such bodily harm, most large cities have municipal ordinances which seriously restrict the methods of replacement of the damaged panes.

Accordingly, in order to prevent any violations of these ordinances, the usual practice employed heretofore by commercial buildings to replace damaged panes has necessitated the mechanic to first remove the entire window frame containing the damaged pane and bring it within the building where the damaged pane is then removed. Obviously this prior practice is economically undesirable since considerable time is required to remove the frame and replace the damaged pane itself. Furthermore, removal of a frame itself is undesirable particularly in hotels since it would create an extreme hardship to a guest during cold weather.

It has been found that the foregoing disadvantages are eliminated and all municipal ordinances satisfied by providing a safety device for attachment to the outside of the window which will define a receptacle for receiving any broken glass, putty or tools. By the use of such a device it is possible for a mechanic to replace a damaged pane without removing the frame from the window. In other words, by the use of a safety rig, the workman merely knocks out the damaged pane into the rig and then chisels the old putty into the rig and installs the new pane without any possibility of damage to pedestrians below.

It is therefore a principal object of the present invention to provide a safety device for attachment to the outside of a window to permit the replacement of a damaged pane in the window without removal of the window frame.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide an essentially light-weight fireproof safety device for attachment to a window which may be installed even in a period of a minute.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a safety device for attachment to a window which will I prevent the falling of broken 'glass,putty, tools and the' like to the street below.

in conjunction with the annexed drawing.

To the accomplishment of the foregoing and related ends, the present invention then consists of the means hereinafter fully described and particularly pointed out in the claims, the annexed drawing and the following description setting forth in detail certain means in the carrying out of the invention, such disclosed means illustrating, however, but one of the various ways in which the principle ofthe invention may be employed.

Broadly stated, the safety device of the present invention comprises an elongated strip of flexible material of a width sufiicient to equal the width of the largest window normally encountered in a commercial building,

1 side frames connected to the upper portion or half of window-washer hooks and the like contained on the outside of the building, adjacent the window frames thereof.

-The present invention is illustrated, by way of example, in the accompanying drawing in which:

Fig. 1 is an isometric perspective of the safety device made in accordance with this invention installed in place on the building;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken on lines 2-2 of Fig. 1 illustrating the manner in which the device serves as a safety device;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary exploded side elevation illustrating a preferred form of connecting means for securing the device to a building;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken on lines 44 of Fig. 3 illustrating the adjustability of the securing device;

Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken on lines 5-5 of Fig. 2; and

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary front elevation illustrating the adjustability of the rig to fit windows of all sizes.

Referring now to the drawing in detail, the illustrative and preferred embodiment of the present invention con-' sists of a safety device comprising a strong, flexible material 11 which may be any suitable, and preferably essentially fireproof, material such as, for example, heavy cotton fabric, plastics and the like. A pair of rigid side frames 12 and 13, respectively, made from any suitable material such as aluminum are secured to the upper half of material 11 along its side edges thereof in order to define a receptacle having an opening at one end thereof. The lower half of the material 11 hangs free and performs a function which will hereafter be more fully described.

In connecting the side frames 12 and 13 to the material of this preferred construction, the panels 12 and 13 are provided with flange members 14 and respectively which extend completely around the panels at the points where the material 11 is to be joined. Each of the flanges 14 and 15 are provided with mating detachable inner collar rings 16 :and 17. The :side edges of material 11 are then placed flush against the inner surfaces of the flange portions 14 and 15 and the collar ring portions 16 and 17 then placed on the opposite side of the fabric, as shown in Figs. 2, 3 and '5 with reference to panel 13 illustratively. The flange members and the ring portions are then secured to one another by the nuts and bolts 18. This is a preferred form of construction and it is apparent to one skilled in the art that there are many other ways than can be employed to achieve this purpose.

As hereinbefore generally stated, the safety device is to be attached to existing equipment present on the outside of the building, such as, for example, windowwasher hooks or lugs. Accordingly any suitable attaching means will be connectedjto the free edges of the panels 12 and 13 which will engage such window-washer lugs. However, such lugs or hooks are not installed uniformly on the building. Therefore, it is preferred that the connecting means he adjustable so as to 'be connecta'ble on any building.

An illustrative form of this preferred means of attachment of the safety device to the window is shown in Fig. 3. In the following description of these preferred attaching means, reference will be had only to one side of the device. side will contain attaching means of identical construction. In this illustrative embodiment the side frames 12 and 13 should be reinforced by having their free edges rolled or by the addition of a separate rolled reinforcing member. Each of the side panels or frames 12 and 13 have a cut-out portion 19 along the reinforced freeedge of each frame adjacent the tops thereof. This results in a top flange portion 20 and a bottom flange portion .21 in the side edges of each of the side panels 12 and 13 with the top and bottom portions .20 and 21, respectively, being spaced from one another. The top flange portion 20 and the bottom flange portion 21 are drilled to receive bolt 22 in engagement therewith. The connecting means comprises a slotted elongated frame 23 and a side flange portion 24 connected thereto adjacent .its bottom edge thereof. The side flange portion 24 is generally cylindrical in shape and is drilled to define an opening through its entire axial length thereof. To connect the securing means to the panels 12 and 13, the side flange portion 24 is inserted within the cut-out portion 1-9 of the panel and the openings in each axially align. The

threaded bolt 22 is inserted through the flanges and inserted into flange 21. The bolt 22 is threaded along its entire shaft and provided with lock-nuts 25 and 26 to permit the locking of the connecting means at any point along the shaft of the bolt 22.

in the use vof the safety device to replace a damaged pane in the window, the mechanic secures the arms 23 mounted on each side of the panels 12 and 13 to the window-washer bolts or lugs 24a mounted on the building 25a. This is done by inserting the lug 24a in the round opening at the bottom end of the slot and the device is moved into position by sliding arm 23 downwardly. The side panels 12 and 13 are then adjusted until the frames completely cover the window opening. The lock nuts 25 and 26 are then tightened to hold the safety device in position. The free end of material 11 is then withdrawn into the room and permitted to fall to the floor. The window frame containing the damaged pane, be it either top or bottom, is then lowered and rests in tight engagement with the material 11. This results in a completely tight enclosure on the outside of the window with the bottom edge of the fabric being held taut by the bottom edge of the window. The mechanic then merely knocks the damaged pane out, chips away the putty and replaces or in-,

It is to be understood that the remaining Al. stalls a new pane. The window frame is then raised and the broken glass and putty is collected from the device and brought into the room by the apron of the material 11. The device is then disengaged and brought back into the building for future use.

As hereinbefore indicated the fabric or material 11 may be made of any substance that is flexible with the preferred material being heavy cotton fabric or heavy plastic. For general usage, such material will be satisfactory and will receive and contain all the broken glass or the like falling within the container that the material 11 defines. However, as a further safety measure in certain instances, it will be found advantageous and desirable to further insure against the possibility of glass falling to the street below. This can be accomplished by installing wire mesh, fiber or other material that is incapable of being cut by glass on the material 11. By this modified construction, any glass is prevented from cutting through the material 11 and may be retained upon the wire mesh or the like within the safety device providing a facile means of withdrawing the broken glass Within the room.

The width of the material 11 which defines the lateral dimensions of the safety device must be suflicient to cover the width of the window of the largest window opening in the building. However, when windows that are relatively narrow contain panes that must be replaced, obviously some adjustment must be provided in order to permit the device to be used on smaller windows.

This is accomplished in the present invention by providing a draw-string effect on the fabric. Fig. 6 sets forth a preferred method of accomplishing this effect which comprises providing two or more openings .27 in the top edge of the material 11. These openings will be provided on either .side of the fabric with grommets 28 to provide necessary strength. The side panels 12 and 13 contain a plurality of small eye-hooks 29 to serve as guide members for the draw-string 30. The draw-string 30 is threaded into the openings 27 and through the hooks 29 with each end of the string 30 being knotted. To adjust the material 11 to fit any desired window opening, .all that is necessary is to pull the draw-string 30 downwardly until the width of the material 11 is the same as that of the particular window opening.

As "hereinbefore indicated, .the side panels 12 and 13 are to be rigid in construction and may be made from any suitable material such as, for example, aluminum, iron, syntheticresin boards, wood and the like. Of these materials, the preferred is one which is light-weight and also fire-proof. The shape of .the side panels 12 and 13 may be of any configuration such as square, rectangular, or arcuate. The preferred construction of the panels 12 and 13. however, .is one in which the top and bottom edges are curved with the .top edge having a greater degree of curvature. This results in the side panels having one straight edge and the remaining edges defining more or less an arcuate outline. With this preferred configuration the falling glass and putty does not cling to the fabric. Moreover, the safety device having this configuration is not subjected or affected as much by the elements such as wind or rain as would a device having a more conventional configuration.

As a safety precaution against the possibility of the safety device falling to the street while the device is being installed it has been found desirable to provide the device with a safety chain 31. The safety chain 31 may be hooked at one end to one of the eye-bolts 29 mounted on the inner side of panel members 12 and 13. The opposite end of the chain .31 contains a hook 32 for attachment with a window handle.

In the use of these chains 31, the chains are hooked to the outside handles found on the upper window by hook 32 prior to connecting the safety device to the building itself. By this construction there is no possibility of the safety device ever falling to the :street below. The

chain 31 will remain in position during the entire use of the safety device and will be the last element disconnected from the window after the rrplacement of the pane has been accomplished.

Oftentimes extremely high winds are encountered, particularly when employing this device at upper levels of sky-scrapers. It is obvious that the present device would then be subjected to considerable force which would have a tendency to prevent the safety device from performing its intended function. To eliminate this possibility it has been found advantageous to provide reinforcing means to prevent any damage to the safety device from the elements while installed. Preferred reinforcing means comprise a telescoping rod 33 secured at suitable points to the side panels 12 and 13 and extending across the fabric 11. The telescoping rods 33 may be secured to the side frames 12 and 13 by means of collars 34, mounted thereon into which the rods 33 will be positioned. The importance of having the rods 33 telescopic in structure is to permit their adjustability to fit any size window. The rod 33 will be provided with a set screw 35 to lock the rod 33 at any preselected width. While two reinforcing means have been shown in Fig. 1, it is obvious that one might serve the purpose or more than two may be required. In the event only one reinforcing rod is employed, this should be at the bottom edge of the safety device since considerable strength is imparted to the device at the upper half since this is the point at which it is connected to the building.

Having described the invention, I claim:

1. A detachable window safety device for use on the outside of a building during replacement of a damaged window pane, which comprises a pair of rigid side panels mounted outwardly from opposite sides of the window and extending beyond the window sill, connecting means attached to the front edges of said side panels comprising vertically adjustable slotted elongated arms detachably engaging the window-washer lugs situated on the outside of the building on opposite sides of the window adjacent to the window frame thereof, an elongated heavy, flexible fabric material connected on its side edges along its upper portion to said side panels to define a receptacle having an opening at one end thereof adjacent the window, said receptacle being of a height and width sufficient to cover the damaged window pane, the remaining lower portion of said material being of a length sufficient to extend through the window opening and in tight engagement with the lowered window sash.

2. A detachable window safety device for use on the outside of a building during replacement of a damaged Window pane, which comprises a pair of rigid side panels for mounting outwardly from opposite sides of the window, connecting means attached to the upper portion of said panels for detachably securing said panels to the window-washer hooks situated on the outside of the building on opposite sides of the window adjacent to the window frame thereof, an elongated heavy, flexible fabric material connected on its side edges along its upper portion to said side panels to define a receptacle extending outwardly from the window and of a height and width sufficient to cover the damaged window pane, the remaining lower portion of said material being of a length sufficient to extend through the window opening and in tight engagement with the lowered window sash.

3. A device in accordance with claim 2 wherein said panels are curved along their rear edges.

4. A device in accordance with claim 2 wherein said connecting means are adjustable.

S. A device in accordance with claim 2 wherein the material is provided with openings and threaded through such openings to permit lateral adjustment of said material.

6. A device in accordance with claim 2 wherein the side panels are provided with at least one transversely positioned reinforcing rod.

7. A device in accordance with claim 2 wherein additional connecting means are secured to the side panels.

8. A device in accordance with claim 2 wherein the connecting means comprises slotted arms adjustably connected to each of said side panels.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 892,918 Warfield July 7, 1908 967,676 Ronan Aug. 16, 1910 1,107,069 Higgins Aug. 11, 1914 1,512,792 Nelson Oct. 21, 1924 2,098,174 Giberson Nov. 2, 1939 2,261,141 Davis Nov. 4, 1941 2,484,984 Davis Oct. 18, 1949 

